What if I told you that the color of the food you ate today influenced its taste? Or that you choose to buy your clothes from that same brand because of the color of its logo and packaging. Confused, are you? Studies say that supposedly 80% of the information we receive from a logo comes from the colors contained within it.
What is your favorite color? Often you may have come across this question, since people believe that one’s favorite color can tell something about their personality.
But did you know how companies use different colors and combinations for the branding of their products and services etc. to exhibit the personality of their company? That’s what color psychology in marketing is all about!
Studies have found that a product’s color influences 60 to 80% of a customer’s purchasing decision. This means that the right choice of color does not only strengthen the brand association, but it can also affect your total sales.
Color appeals to our visual senses and play a key role in consumer purchasing and overall decision making. Brands use different colors to elicit certain responses in the customers.
Different colors stimulate different areas of the brain and promote either excitement or bring feelings of calm. Companies often go to great lengths to make sure their logo perfectly matches their branding strategy.
Did you know, that Google famously 40, different shades of blue in its search results page to see which one performed the best?
· You may have noticed that when you search for something on Google, you get a ton loads of ads. Do you think the color of those ads matters in getting you to click on it?
· Well, Google supposedly generated an additional $200mn revenue by just changing the color of these ads.
· Google ran an experiment wherein it showed 1% of users a shade of blue and the other 1% users a different shade of blue and analyzed the number of clicks on each. These happened for over 40 times when finally they found out that the purplish shade of blue got maximum clicks.
Lets take a look at some of the most favorite color associations used by top brands around the world.
Red
You may have noticed most fast food joints having a red in their logo. Red is known to increase appetite and create urgency.
· McDonald’s uses red to stimulate hunger and they want to urge you to buy their food quickly. Their yellow red mascot also stimulates a lot of energy and appeals to kids.
· Research has supported this belief by finding out that red physically stimulates the human body, affecting nerve impulses, raising blood pressure and heart rate.
· You may have also come across clearance sale signs painted in bright red, trying to grab your attention and create a sense of urgency to get you to buy their products.
Blue
Blue is the brands global favorite color with more than 50% of the world’s top brands having blue logos. From Facebook to Ford to Walmart, all have a blue logo. What is it about this color that makes it everybody’s favorite?
· Different studies have found that the appeal of blue among young and old, the rebellious and the conservative, Eastern and Western, is due to all the positive associations of blue. One can rarely find negative blue things around their surroundings. Whereas there are numerous positive blue associations like blue seas, blue skies etc.
· Blue also has measurable effects on the body. It was found to reduce heart rate and promote a sense of calm. Calming mind, providing a sense of tranquility and space and hence a sense of security and trust in a brand.
Green
What comes to your mind when you think about the color green?
Did you think about nature as well? That’s what brands associate the color green with!
· Green is associated with health, nature, tranquility. It is often used to promote any product or service that has something to do with the environment.
· Green promotes harmony in your brain and encourages a balance between your body and emotions, and leads to decisiveness. Different brands use it differently.
· Starbucks uses green to promote a sense of calm. They want you to take a coffee break, and de-stress. While Subway uses green to signal health and restoration. It wants to convey to you that it’s products are fresh and healthy.
Lastly it is also important to remember that simply assuming general color associations and applying them to everything can misleading. Human beings are complex creatures, and the way we feel about certain colors can be affected by different factors, including personal experiences, culture, personality etc.
When used properly, brands can use the right colors to promote their products to the right customers and promote the right message, and completely turn around their business.
Just like marketing colors affect various other facets of our lives. To know more about colors and other equally interesting topics, stay tuned to EkakiVedam.org.
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